How Can Free Computers Be Expensive?
by: Peter Reilly

How can a free computer be expensive?

It is becoming clearer to educational leaders that the cost of purchasing a computer is only a fraction of its overall cost. The technical and staff development support necessary to maintain the computer over its (3-5) year life-cycle generally costs more than the computer itself.

Donated computers often need memory upgrades to run current software and operating systems

• Upgrading RAM from 16mb to 32mb can cost $150 not including the cost of labor.
• Upgrading RAM from 16mb to 64mb (today's standard) can cost $300 not including labor.

Donated computers may need operating system upgrades

• Upgrading from Windows 3.1 to Windows 98 can cost $100 or more without including labor.

Donated computers often come without the original set-up and reference disks

• Finding the right disks and drivers to configure older computers can be difficult and time consuming.

Once the machine is properly upgraded and configured a special "image" needs to be created for that machine.

• Creating this image can take hours of work. Each time software is added to the network or there is a software upgrade this "image" needs to be specially configured. Once again, significant technical time is required.

The reality is that after spending $350-$500 and numerous hours to upgrade a donated computer the end user winds up with an older, slower processor and an older more limited hard drive. In addition, to the costs of getting the machine functioning on the network, maintaining it for the next few years is complex; therefore more expensive compared to newer computers on the network.

Organizations such as the Consortium for School Networking (COSN) and the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center (LHRIC) in New York State are developing tools to assist administrators in understanding the issues involved in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). One of the most basic strategies used to hold the line on is standardization. Schools that standardize their computer models and peripherals, software versions, operating systems, and configurations reduce the long term cost of maintenance, technical support, and training. A National School Boards survey of 120 school districts disclosed that 90% of respondents had "taken steps to standardize the model of computer used" as a way of reducing on-going support costs.

Unfortunately, at a time when schools are struggling with the challenges of integrating technology in the curriculum and maintaining their large technology investments, Congress has introduced draft legislation (The New Millennium Classrooms Act) that provides tax breaks to businesses that donate old computers to schools. Current legislation provides tax breaks to businesses that donate computers no more than 2 years old while the draft legislation expands the tax break to 3-year-old computers.

From a public relations standpoint turning down free computers will be difficult for financially strapped school districts. There will be many in the community who feel that donated computers are fine for kids, after all, "Why do they need state of the art technology?"

Summary
Districts should develop policies that protect them from the obsolete computers that will be deposited on their doorsteps if this well-meaning, Congressional legislation is adopted. They should begin educating their communities about the real costs of "free" computers. After all, three year old donated computers can be a significant cost to the taxpayers and a liability for our schools.

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